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Sports: Prep Notes-Numbers Column September 18, 2008

Central-GJ rematch set in softball

Today marks the second meeting between Grand Junction and Central at 7 p.m. at Mesa State College.

Central took the first game 13-5 on Sept. 11, but it was closer than what score showed. Grand Junction cut the lead to three runs in the sixth inning before the Warriors made their run.

Since that time each team has played one game. Grand Junction earned its first Southwestern League win over Montrose 15-5. Central has continued to roll, defeating Fruita Monument 4-1 on Tuesday.

warm-up runs

All four valley cross county teams will have meets this weekend as they continue to prepare for the stretch run.
Friday, Central and Grand Junction will be at the Ridgway Invitational and Fruita Monument runs in the Fort
Collins Invitational. On Saturday, Palisade will run at the Moffat County Invitational. Next weekend’s Anna
Banana Invitational at Connected Lakes will be one of the final two races in which all four teams will compete.

The other is the District 51 championships at Riverbend Park on Oct. 10.

TIGHT QUARTERS

Just a reminder that parking will be at a premium at Stocker Stadium on Friday and Saturday for football games.
Friday night Fruita Monument and Grand Junction play, and at the same time, the Pork N Hops event will be happening at Lincoln Park.

To avoid parking problems, School District 51 is offering a free shuttle service from Brownson Arena at Mesa State to the park. Buses begin running at 6 p.m. on Friday and at noon for Saturday’s Rocky Mountain-Central game. Buses will return to Brownson Arena after each game.

ALUMNI UPDATE

Former Palisade volleyball standout Kaela Hellmann is having a strong senior year for St. Mary’s (Ind.) College.

Through last week, Hellmann, an outside/middle hitter, led the Belles with 86 kills and 11 aces. St. Mary’s was 5-3 in its first eight games.

Her sister Jessica, a sophomore at the Air Force Academy, leads the 4-7 Falcons in assists with 267 and is second in aces with 7.

internet buzz

In an online article published by Western Wyoming Community College volleyball coach Rick Reynolds, Central junior setter Alyce Albright received an honorable mention selection on a 2007 list for the best defenders in the country.

Reynolds is a former Grand Junction resident who founded the Elite Elevation club team before taking the WWCC job. Albright played libero on the Elite team but since the time of the article, Albright has made the transition to setting and helped Central beat Grand Junction on Tuesday with 17 assists.

Hot ticket of the weekend

Durango’s volleyball doubleheader against Grand Junction and Fruita Monument. The Demons finished 20-6, 10-0 SWL, last season and are off to a good start this year. They fared well against Front Range competition Horizon and Palmer, winning both matches. The Tigers will have the first shot against Durango on Friday at 5 p.m. Fruita and Durango will play at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

getting it right

Grand Junction’s homecoming game is Oct. 10 against Durango, not Friday night against Fruita Monument as reported Tuesday.

NUMBERS

3: Goals by Grand Junction soccer player Tim Hofer in the Tigers’ three games last week. 2: Assists by Hofer.

43: Rushing yards given up by the Central football team in its 38-6 victory over Gateway on Friday.

44: Points scored by the Dove Creek football team in the first quarter of its 64-0 victory over Ignacio on Friday.

45: Assists by Fruita Monument volleyball player Lindsey Henke in the Wildcats’ 3-2 victory over Grand Junction on Thursday.